2026–27 state budget: what's in it for you?

Labor is touting the education, crime and cost of living measures in its 2026-27 state budget, but there only a handful of big-ticket items for the Geelong region.

These are headlined by two new announcements for Barwon Health: $20.3 million to University Hospital Geelong to improve the children’s emergency department and $13.2 million to establish palliative care beds at Anam Cara House.

The under-construction Barwon Women and Children’s hospital, to be completed in 2029, has $154 million in spending listed in the coming financial year.

In education spending, Geelong East Primary School will receive $3.3 million, and there is recurrent funding for Skilling the Bay and Farm My School.

Local sports clubs will benefit, with money for works at the Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Club, Clifton Springs Bowls Club, and Geelong BMX Club.

The Geelong City Deal, a collaboration between local, state and federal governments, is getting $17.2 million.

Treasurer Jaclyn Symes described the overall package as a constrained and responsible Labor budget to make life “easier, safer and more affordable for every Victorian”.

Education

$3.3 million for works at Geelong East Primary School
$792,000 to continue the Skilling the Bay program
$106,000 to continue the Farm My School program at Bellarine Secondary College
$222 million into the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority to deliver a root and branch review
$180 million to deliver 27 new and expanded kindergartens and childcare centres
$26 million to delivery Rapid Child Safety review on childcare
$16 million to continue the Glasses for Kids program

Health

$20.3 million to University Hospital Geelong to uplift the dedicated children’s emergency department
$13.2 million over four years for the transfer of palliative care beds from the McKellar Centre to Anam Cara House
$154 million towards the continued construction of Barwon Women and Children’s
Almost $10 million to continue pill testing at fixed-service sites and festivals

Housing

$311,000 to support the Geelong Authority
$16 million to protect consumers and raise building industry standards
Almost $100 million to deliver housing reform in the building industry

Sport

$200,000 for the Geelong BMX Club to seal straights on the track and asphalt from the finish line to the start hill
$500,000 to complete facilities at Point Lonsdale Surf Life Saving Club
$350,000 to deliver master planning and facility upgrades at Clifton Springs Bowls Club

Cost of living

$278 million to halve the price of public transport until January 1, 2027
Almost $780 million allocated for registration rebates for light vehicles
$11 million for food security and grants for community organisations to deliver food relief

Infrastructure and transport

$17.2 million for the Geelong City Deal, including $3.4 million for the Point Grey redevelopment in Lorne and $3.1 million for better tourism infrastructure
A new pedestrian crossing on Barwon Heads Road in Connewarre
$1.5 million for a Crematorium upgrade at Geelong Memorial Park
More than $1 billion to fix potholes and resurface roads
$92 million for train services

Crime and justice

More than $230 million to increase capacity for corrections, including youth justice
$117.5 million to deliver a specialised, fast-tracked youth court list in the County Court
$62 million to recruit 200 police reservists for police station counter duties
$9.5 million for BlueLight Victoria program to mentor children and young people at risk
$3.2 million to stamp out anti-Semitism and hate
Almost $3 million for an independent Sentencing Act review

Disability

More than $40 million for advocacy, support and liaison services
$20 million to support people in home and aged care with a disability outside of the NDIS

– With AAP